An Aontú representative says she was targeted by an arson attack after she was woken by the smell of smoke to discover her car in flames at 3am last night.
Sharon Loughran who is a candidate for Newry said her house also suffered significant damage because of the blaze.
Loughran who is an A&E nurse said “Just after 3am I awoke to the smell and sound of an inferno beside my house.
“ I looked out the window to see my car parked in my driveway consumed by flames. The heat was so much that the facia, pipes, electrics, and windows to my house have all been damaged by melting,” she said adding, “My house is significantly damaged.”
She called the alleged arson attack a “horrendous action” saying that her house could have burnt down.
“The arsonist that set this fire could have killed me,” she said, adding that it was “incredible” that this could happen to someone in 2023.
Laughran said she had “no idea” why anyone would target her, saying that she had not been politically active before joining Aotnú.
“I am paediatric nurse in Daisy Hill Hospital,” she said, adding “I love my job and I am delighted to work for both communities,”
She says the only reason she got involved in politics was to stop “the closure of key services in Daisy Hill Hospital” saying Aontú are “very active on hospital campaigns around the country”.
Explaining that Aontú as a party is only four years old, Laughran said she didn’t understand why there would be ‘bad blood’ against it but that her house was “daubed” with UDA graffiti during the local elections.
“I am calling on the PSNI to provide the necessary protection so that people like me can go about our lives without living in fear,” she said.
“I am also calling on community leaders in Newry to bring about what influence to stop this shocking violence on the 12th of July.”Laughran said she wanted to be able to continue working for her community adding that she had a right to do so in peace.
The PSNI have issued an appeal for witnesses to the incident which took place in the area of Damolly village.
An Inspector issued the following statement,
“We received a report that a car had been set alight at the victim’s property in the early hours of this morning. The suspect is described as approximately 5’10, of slim build, was wearing a light coloured top and light coloured bottoms.”
“The exterior of the house also sustained extensive smoke damage. We are treating this as a sectarian hate crime.”
“This has obviously been very distressing for the victim and our investigation is underway and we are appealing to anyone who may have been in the area or who may have captured CCTV footage to contact us on 101 quoting reference number 305 12/07/23.”